Coventry

Coventry's population grew in the decade leading up to the most recent census. Data from the census also show there were changes in housing tenure, religion and ethnicity.

The population reached nearly 320,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Coventry increased by 5.4%, from just under 301,000 to 317,000.

The addition of about 16,000 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Coventry was home to, on average, 23 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the West Midlands

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the West Midlands, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

A younger Coventry

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Coventry decreased by one year, from 35 to 34 years.

This city had the second-lowest average age in the West Midlands and remained younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of just over 10,000 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 2,000.

About 18% of people in Coventry are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Coventry by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Coventry that rented privately increased from 10% to 21% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in six (17%) households lived in social housing, compared with 18% in 2001. The percentage of Coventry households that owned their home decreased from 69% to 61%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased faster here than in any other local authority district across the West Midlands. As a result, this area had the region’s highest proportion of privately rented homes.

Private renting in Coventry increased by 11 percentage points

Percentage of households in Coventry, the West Midlands and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Coventry

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, 25% said they had no religion. An increase from 16% in 2001 makes this the fastest-growing religious group in Coventry.

Across the West Midlands, the percentage of people who described themselves as having no religion increased from 13% to 24%, while across England the percentage went from 16% to 27%.

Around 57% of those who disclosed their religion in Coventry said they were Christian, down from 71% in 2001. About 8.0% said they were Muslim, up from 4.2% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who described themselves as Sikh rose from 5.0% to 5.4% between the last two censuses.

In Coventry, 6.8% chose not to disclose their religious affiliation. In West Midlands the percentage was 7.0% and across England the percentage was 7.7%.

The population without a religion in Coventry increased by 7.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Coventry by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

Long hour working fell in Coventry, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in the West Midlands, except East Staffordshire.

Every local authority area across the West Midlands saw a fall in the proportion of people working long hours, as the regional average fell from 13% to 9.4%.

Across the West Midlands, the proportion of people working long hours fell from 13% to 9.4% between the last two censuses, while the proportion in Nuneaton and Bedworth (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Coventry) fell from 11% to 8.5%.

Long hour working in Coventry decreased by 2.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Coventry, the West Midlands and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

More single parents

Coventry saw the West Midlands' second-largest rise in the proportion of single-parent households.

In 2011, just under one in seven (14%) households in Coventry had a single parent, compared with 12% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising a married couple decreased from 33% to 29%.

Across the region, only Wolverhampton saw a greater rise in the proportion of single-parent households (from 12% to 14%).

Every local authority area across the West Midlands saw a rise in the proportion of single-parent households, as the regional average grew from 10% to 11%.

The percentage of households with a single-parent was higher than across the West Midlands

Percentage of households that had a single parent across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

More students

The percentage of Coventry residents that were studying increased from 3.7% to 5.4% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under one in two (49%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 50% in 2001. The percentage of Coventry residents that were unemployed increased from 4.0% to 5.4%.

The proportion of students increased faster here than anywhere else in the West Midlands. As a result, this area had the region’s highest proportion of students.

Worcester had the West Midlands' second highest proportion of students (4.6%), while Birmingham had the region's third highest proportion (4.4%).

The percentage of students in Coventry increased by 1.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Coventry, the West Midlands and England that said they were in education, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

Coventry saw the West Midlands' joint second-largest rise in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents, alongside Wolverhampton. The largest rise was seen in Birmingham

In 2011, just under 1 in 10 (10.0%) households in Coventry had only adult children living with their parents, compared with 9.4% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child remained close to 31%.

During this period, Coventry went from having the 22nd-highest to the 11th-lowest percentage of households with only adult children living with their parents out of 309 English local authority areas.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Changing relationships in Coventry

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased in Coventry, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in the West Midlands, except Birmingham.

Every local authority area across the West Midlands saw a rise in the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner, as the regional average grew from 10% to 11%.

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Disability in Coventry

Coventry saw the West Midlands' third-largest fall in the proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

In 2011, just under 1 in 16 (6.1%) in Coventry reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 6.7% in 2001. The percentage who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 3.3% to 4.0%.

Across the region, only Wolverhampton (from 6.8% to 6.2%) and Stoke-on-Trent (from 6.7% to 6.1%) saw a greater decrease in the proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in Coventry

In 2011, 16% of the local population said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups. An increase from 12% in 2001 makes this the fastest-growing ethnic group in Coventry.

Across the West Midlands, the percentage of residents from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 7.6% to 11%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 74% of people in Coventry said they were from the White ethnic groups, down from 84% in 2001. About 5.6% said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from 1.8% 10 years prior.

The percentage of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) rose from 1.7% to 2.6% between the last two censuses.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Coventry increased by 4.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Coventry by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Coventry residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 10.0% to 6.1% in the decade to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (81%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 67% in 2001. The percentage of Coventry residents that described their health as fair decreased from 23% to 13%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 9.7% in 2001 to 6.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Coventry decreased by 3.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Coventry, the West Midlands and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Coventry residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.1% to 1.5% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, about 1 in 40 (2.5%) reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 2.2% in 2001.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 1.2% in 2001 to 1.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Coventry remained close to 1.5%

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Coventry by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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